Fa Zhou's Son
by Han dj
Summary: Mulan's farce continued, and Fa Zhou got a son. Story base on a challenge at KP Slashhaven. Yuri.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Mulan, Walt Disney does.

Summary: A secret that was kept puts Mulan in a whole new world of disaster.

A/N: This story is written as a reply to a challenge at kpslashhaven. Mature rating (So this is for adults only but what the heck…no one abides by this rule anymore! LOL) Yuri, pairing Mulan with an original character. I didn't see the second Mulan so this story ignores that one.

I got lucky and got me a beta, thanks to Love Robin. (I learned a lot sensei!) So this is the edited version.

**Fa Zhou's Son**

Chapter 1

_The banquet had passed its peak as the merry making dwindled down leaving noisy, drunk and  
sleeping soldiers, the Emperor was kind enough to grant his army a night of celebration inside the great wall of the palace, complete with entertainment from the palace's renowned courtesans. The banquet was of course dedicated to the heroic deed of Soldier Fa Ping who with his friends trampled the great Shan Yu, leader of the Mongolian invaders. At the center of the banquet table was Captain Li Shang slowly drinking his cup of the emperor's finest wine. At his right was Ping who hardly touched his first cup of wine. __Mushu, the dragon was nowhere to be found as well as cric-kee__. __Yao, who was sitting at Captain Shang's left was already drunk and ready to call it a night with his "lady", while Ling was trying his best to get along with his own. Chien-Po had disagreed to drink wine and be with a woman as he argued it is not appropriate, him being raised as a monk. __"So, Chien has a good reason for turning down a woman," Captain Shang said, smirking at Ping__ who had not__taken__ to having a woman by his side, __"But you Ping…, what is your reason?" the captain loudly blurted out after some time of thinking and him having loo__se tongue with all the liquors imbibed._

All eyes were diverted to Ping's location, even the drunk Yao looked at him waiting for an answer, "

_Well…," ____Ping was speechless as he tried to come up with a good reason to turn down women._

_"You can't be raised by a monk," Ling offered,_

_"I'm not…"_

_"Don't tell me you're celibate!" Yao shouted_

_"Hey, I just said he wasn't a monk!" Ling argued with the smaller Yao and this turned out to be an elbow war between the two.  
__  
"__Stop it, let's hear what Ping has to say." Chien-Po in his usual mellow voice said. As usual he had to separate the two before once again focusing on Ping._

_"Well…," Ping looked at Captain Shang, who had a smirk pasted on his face. Ping frowned, "How come you wonder about me having no woman by my side and yet you don't have yours?" he threw the question back at his captain._

_The captain's smirk widened, accompanied by his face turning a darker shade of red, "Do not divert the question Ping, but to feed your curiosity, mine was hand-picked and is now waiting at my chamber. So will you answer the question now?" _

_Ping was taken by surprise and his eyes widened__._

_"Buddha bless you… are you saying that you are still a virgin at this point?" The blush that crept up Ping's face was all the Captain need to affirm the answer to his question._

_"I am a virgin!" Chien-Po said_ frow_ning… well more of pouting__._

_"Yeah, but Ping," Yao pointed at the embarrassed soldier, "is not a monk… and he looks healthy to me!"_

_"We can always solve that," Ling said smiling evilly at the growing blush on Ping's face.  
__  
"What do yo__u mean…?"_

"_Good call, Ling! Well since you won't choose from any of these women," The captain looked at each of the women in the room, "…I think it will be good If I…," Captain Shang pointed a finger to himself, "…choose one for you and yes," he smirked, "…she will be waiting for you at your chamber as well!"  
__  
__"NO CAPTAIN…!"_

"I am your captain and I order you to have a good time as this banquet is in your honor!"

"But I am having a good time_!" _

_"No, we don't believe that…," all the soldiers said in unison._

xxxx

[Present]

Fa Mulan dropped on her bed limbless as she once again rekindle the memory of the day that had changed her life… probably forever. She had shamed her family over and over and this time, she knew that if she divulge to her family what she discovered about herself, her mother might die and her father would kill himself from anguish and humiliation. As for Grandmother Fa… she was not sure what her odd grandmother would do about the information. But one thing was for sure… she was now the bane of Fa Family's existence.

"Now you really did it... ," Mulan whispered before she took a pillow to cover her face… and if she was lucky, she could die of suffocation and prevent her family from being shamed further.

xxxx

Fa Zhou, Fa Li, and Grandmother Fa were all sitting on the floor around their dining table and having a conference. It had been two weeks since Fa Mulan had arrived home bringing the family honor when she led the Chinese Army in trampling down the Huns from invading China. As a proof, she even offered her father the emperor's medallion to be hanged on his small office for his friends to see.

"It has been two weeks, and aside from eating, our daughter has not gone out of her room, not even to talk with us. Was there any problem? Did she encounter any during her stay at the army?" Fa Zhou asked, frowning and demanding answers from his wife.

"I tried to talk to her dear, but she keeps on saying that everything was alright," Fa Li said, sporting the same frown directed now to her husband's mother, who was smiling, unlike them.

"Don't look at me, it's not as if I can read your daughter's mind," the matriarch said in her usual cheery demeanor.

"But something must have gone wrong!" Fa Zhou tapped hard on the table.

Silence.

"Well…maybe she fell in love with a soldier?" Fa Li offered.

"That should have made her happy, we had a hard time getting her a husband!" Fa Zhou said with a small smile on his face.

"But maybe the soldier is already married…," Grandmother Fa interrupted blowing the couple's bubble.

"You are not helping at all mother!" Fa Li reproached.

"Oh come on… my granddaughter had to pretend that she is Zhou's son to be able to join the army. How can she find another man to be interested in her if she was supposed to be a man?" Grandmother Fa shook her head, "I don't think she can go out now as Mulan or if she could, everyone will be asking her about her brother, what's worst? Once you get out there, Zhou, everyone in our place would be looking for your son. And how are you going to make one now and speed care for him to be say... twenty one so that he would be the same age as when he had saved China from invasion?"

The couple looked at the old woman in shock.

"And if the Emperor finds out that she had deceived the crown, the penalty is death whether she saved China or not…," The matriarch continued.

The couple's thoughts ran fast and both were heading on the same conclusion. Their daughter's fate had changed drastically since Mulan decided to take the place of her father to fight off the Huns. "This is all my fault," Fa Zhou said sadly, he raised one hand to massage his balding head, "If it weren't for my illness, Mulan would never have thought of going to battle in my stead."

Fa Li stood up and hugged her husband from behind, "No, Zhou, don't say that. It is not for us to know when we are going to be sick or not and our daughter is a bright woman, she knows the consequences of her action and she pursued it. She is as free spirited as you." Fa Li felt her husband relaxed and she would guess he was smiling. Fa Zhou may be a strict father, but he dotes on Mulan and she had never seen a father loved a daughter so much as her Fa Zhou, "As a matter of fact, I don't think there's any other woman in this country that would rival your daughter's free spirit!"

xxxx

"Xiang Fei Yi!" The emperor's son, the crowned prince, successor to the throne had it with his youngest daughter. He was marching toward his daughter's room after receiving yet another scroll containing the list of things he had to pay for. Well he was his father's son and he knew how righteous his father could be, if it was him in this situation he would do the right thing and compensate the people he had made trespass.

But well, the emperor only had two sons and both of them acted the way they should have, while he, fortunately or unfortunately begat two sons _and _two daughters and _this_ one… his frown deepened at the thought of her, had been the realization of his worst fear in raising a family.

"Xiang Fei Yi!" he bellowed after forcefully opening his daughter's room door.

His daughter was sitting in front of her mirrored closet, her personal servant attending to her long, silky, raven colored hair. She was sitting there as if she was the most magnanimous thing you'll ever see in your life, her shining, light brown, almond eyes were that of an angel… if he do believed in them. His daughter was a picture of a woman who would do no horrible things and yet... . He looked at her daughter's form, she was wearing her usual 'house-clothes' : A traditional Chinese dress in Green silk with plain white cloth wrapped around her waist.

Xiang Fei Yi smiled her sweetest and turned to face her father. She gave him "that" look that would melt any man's heart… the one she oh so cleverly used with her strict grandfather, "Yes Papa? You called?" her voice was full of sweetness the crowned prince knew to be toxic and lethal.

Xiang Mien sighed and opened the scroll in front of his daughter, "And pray tell what is this list about?"

Fei Yi's eyes widened in an expression of shock, "Oh my… Papa, who would do such horrible things and come here to make you pay for it?" she asked in a very concerned voice.

If smoke could really 'flow'out of human orifices, Xiang Mien would swear he saw smoke coming from his own nose and ears, "Don't toy with me young lady!" he said, then mumbled, "Oh, Fei Fei, why did you leave her to me to care for all by myself?"

"You were saying, Papa?"

The crowned prince looked at his daughter, "You cannot fool me with that innocent act of yours young lady… or should I say young woman. In two weeks, you will be reaching your 19th birth day and I will announce your engagement to Prince Takehiro Masashi… ,"

"NOOOO!" Fei Yi stood up suddenly and banged her hand on top of her cabinet, "You cannot make me marry that man! He is hideous and he is not Chinese!"

"True, but it will serve two purpose, for one it will unite us with their people and two, it will relieve me of your unnecessary troubles that has been sullying our good reputation."

Fei Yi's jaw dropped, "You think I am sullying our name… I don't…," she dramatically dropped back to her chair. The crowned prince looked at the servant and motioned for her to leave which the servant hurriedly did.

Xiang Mien closed his eyes and stepped closer to his daughter, "Forgive me daughter I didn't mean for it to sound that way but…"

"I was just having fun like a normal woman does… and you accuse me of…"

"I said forgive me for using the wrong term…"

"No… you mean it Papa…," Fei Yi started crying, tucking her face on her crossed arms and resting them at the back of her chair.

Xiang Mien's eyes rolled, "Oh come on, Fei Yi…"

"You do not love me… you only love your reputation and you don't care if I hurt or not…"

"You know that's not true!" He was now on the defense, and tried to get away from his daughter's attack. His salvation came in the form of his father who was watching them in amusement.

"I was heading this way when I bumped with Shu and she told me you two are having a discussion. Was I interrupting?" he asked in his mild manner way.

The young princess looked up to see her favorite grandfather, "Oh, Grandpa!" she hurriedly stood up and ran to her grandfather's arm who enveloped her as if she was a fragile thing,"

"You are not interrupting at all, Father. As a matter of fact I am glad that you came," Xiang Mien smiled at the emperor.

"Oh... ," he looked down at her granddaughter who had a frown on her face. "Why is that frown on that lovely face of yours, Fei Yi?"

"Oh for Buddha's sake, I was just…"

"Father is forcing me to marry that ugly Prince!"

"Prince?" The emperor asked, his eyes directed on his son who nodded his head. "Oh, I think you are making a big mistake there my son," he smiled when he looked at his granddaughter who beamed at his declaration.

"I was just trying to do something right, it will unite us with their people plus Fei Yi had already come of age a year ago and she is turning a year older, she needs to marry and there's no one I could think of that suits her better than the Prince," he argued.

The emperor nodded his head, "You have a good intention my son, but you have not thought of this for long have you?"

The crowned prince frowned at his father.

"I was just stating, our country has just drove off the Huns from invading. We have been fighting to continue on existing without the influence of outside forces. What do you think our people would think if you decide to marry our dear Fei Yi to a foreigner?"

Silence

"But Fei Yi needs…"

"I don't want to marry yet and grandfather thinks…"

"I think it is a bright idea to marry off our dear Fei Yi and I have the best man in mind!" The emperor said cheerfully

"…I should marry…," Fei Yi pulled away from her grandfather's embrace, "You want me to marry too... Grandpa!"

The emperor waved his hand, "There is this fine young lad who had saved not only my life but the entire of China and I am afraid that after this, every woman in this country would beg him to take them as his wife. I feel it is most appropriate for such a lovely woman as our dear Fei Yi to get a hold of this man, don't you?" the emperor smiled.

Xiang Mien frowned, "You mean the young soldier with Captain Shang?"

"Yes, one and the same," the emperor agreed

"But grandpa he is so lame! There is no way I will marry him!" Fei Yi said, crossing her arms in front of her, "Besides, I am still young and I have more things to learn…."

"And he is just a soldier…."

"True, he is as you say 'just' a soldier but he is also our hero. Imagine what our people will think of you when they learned that the crowned prince had chosen him to marry your daughter? People's trust will soar, their fears will be alleviated for they know that the Empire is secure with Ping around," he smiled, "And I like this Ping."

"If you like him grandpa, why don't you marry him yourself?"

"Xiang Fei Yi!" Xiang Mien called out in reprimand.

"What?"

"Well dear Fei Yi, if I were a woman I might have but too bad I am not." he smiled, "He is also young, you both could learn about many things together," he said cheerfully, "Mien?"

The crowned prince too smiled, "I think I get the logic in your words father."

"Of course… I wouldn't be emperor if I am not good." He turned around, "I will return to my chamber to read on more scrolls…," he looked at the scroll in his son's hand, "That must be the list of things to pay?"

Xiang Mien sighed, "I'll take care of this,"

The emperor nodded and left the room leaving daughter and father alone. "You two are conniving old people."

"Watch what you say, Fei Yi,"

"I can't marry this Ping! Besides, he might not like me!"

The crowned prince smirked, "It doesn't matter if he likes you or not, he will marry you. I better go and have this wedding arranged."

"But father!"

"Good night dear Fei Yi!" he said now cheerfully and then left his daughter on her own.

"This is bad…," Fei Yi said dropping on her chair once again.

xxxx

Fa Mulan decided to skip dinner saying she had no appetite from eating too much junks. She knew her parents were worried about her, she knew that there were far more problems than what she had in mind and one of those was her pretending to be a man… fighting a man's battle. She was afraid that if the empire knew of her deceit, her father would pay a great price, probably his head. She should worry more about _that_ but every time she tried thinking of a solution, she ended up thinking about her current situation and go down memory lane…

_As it was, Captain Shang had his way with Ping. Thirty minutes after his decision, Ping was brought to his room forcefully by his so-called friends. Even Chien-Po helped…as a matter of fact, it was him who carried Ping to his chamber when it was obvious that Yao and Ling couldn't due to their inebriated state. Ping's quarter being situated next to Captain Shang's meant the captain had one last say before they both were pulled inside, "I would be waiting to hear either you or your woman scream, Ping," he said, smirking before disappearing. _

_Ping was sweaty when he came in, he stood still when he saw a woman dressed in a light sleep gown, sitting on her knees at the foot of the large bed waiting for him. She had her head bowed down._

"_Look," Ping started, "This is really all a misunderstanding," he said nervously_

_The woman looked up at him and he was astounded to the beauty presented before him… she probably is the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in his life. He apologized to his mother secretly as he thought that this woman was even prettier than his own mother and she probably would have any man she wanted…._

"_You are very… beautiful…."_

_The woman smiled genuinely, "You are very kind, Master Ping…."_

"_Master…?"_

"_As I am yours tonight… you can do to me what it is you want thus you are my master," the courtesan replied while smiling suggestively at Ping, "It will be my honor to serve the Hero of China,"_

_Ping gulped, "Ah…," and he gulped more when the woman stood and stepped closer to him as if she was a predatory tigress, "Er…, what… ahhhh… your name…?" _

"_Does it matter, Master?" the woman said and took hold of Ping's hand then she pulled Ping towards his bed._

"_Ye… yess… i...it doessss?" Ping was so nervous he could feel his knees shaking, even his voice._

"_You have such a feminine voice for a hero," the woman said before pushing Ping on the bed. "And if it does matter to you, you can just call me Mei, that's the name I go for around here as we courtesans reserve our real names to family," she said while disrobing._

_Ping's eyes widened and in reaction he sat up and tried to grab for the opened robe to get it back on Mei's body but the courtesan moved a bit fast and he instead got a grab of one breast in one hand and the end of a robe on the other._

"_You are very eager master… I was instructed that this will be your first time?"_

_If Ping's eyes could get wider it would have. "Ahh No… actually that's were the misunderstanding comes in…."_

_Mei's one eyebrow rose, "You mean you're not virgin at all?"_

"_What…," Ping frowned and realized Mei's point, "Oh no not that…."_

"_You are a virgin then?"_

"_Yes but… I really cannot be with a woman…."_

_Mei straightened and her brow never returned back to its original position, "You like another man?"_

"_Yes… ah no! I don't like men… well actually I was looking for men before but well I was not doing good at finding one then I got into this war and I don't see them the same way and…."_

"_You talk too much master, so you don't fancy men the way you fancy them before now?" Mei said pushing Ping on his back and she started removing the knots on Ping's trousers and robe, "Do you fancy women now?"_

"_What…?" Ping was busy pushing Mei's hand off his clothes, "I don't… I just… I don't fancy anyone or anything at all! I am fine being by myself…."_

"_Ahhh, then let me help you with that…."_

"_No Mei…."_

_But Mei was more adept with disrobing another, she was making good of removing the Hero's clothing in less time than Ping could stop her and a gasp was heard from Mei's luscious lips. She stopped disrobing Ping and looked at the blushing soldier beneath her with slacked jaws. Under her was a womanly chest being obscured by elastic strapping._

"_That's why I said I cannot…."_

"_You… you're really a woman…."_

_Ping was so nervous and scared that Mei would scream and alert Captain Shang, she held onto Mei's wrist, "Please don't tell the Captain…don't tell anyone…I can explain…"_

_There was a long moment of silence making Ping more nervous than she was before. Mei didn't ask for explanation and Ping wasn't giving anything despite saying she would. "What is your name then…I'm sure it's not Ping."_

_Ping frowned, "Well… why does it matter?"_

"_I can't have sex with someone I do not know the name."_

"_What? Can't you see I'm a woman just like you!"_

"_I know. And so?" Mei then continued disrobing her by first unwrapping her chest. Ping held onto Mei's hands._

"_We cannot do that… I am not attracted to other women…."_

_Mei smiled wickedly, "And yet I can feel your pulse jumping up in delight…."_

"_I am nervous!"_

"_You can't fool me… Ping," she said and using her well skilled hands finally unwrapped Ping fully, "Ooohhh, you're one pretty specimen!"_

"_You can't have sex with another woman!"_

"_Of course I can and you're not the first woman I served like this!"Ping was stunned to silence making Mei's job easier, "If it relieves you from worry, I will not blurt out your secret to anyone, this will be between me and you but you do get the dilemma right?"_

"_Dilemma?"_

"_Your friends expects you to have a good time with me tonight, the Captain expects you to finally have an experience after this, he even expects you to scream if I don't and we both can't fake a scream… me I just don't fake orgasms while you on the other hand I'll guess had no idea what an orgasmic scream sounds like…."_

"_You… you're serious?"_

"_As a heart attack Master Ping, so I'll go for Ping tonight, I know you want to protect your real identity and I can't fault you."_

_Silence_

"_I don't know how…."_

_Mei smiled, "That's why I'm here…" _

_Ping's eyes widened again when her trousers were finally removed from her and Mei leaned forward and started kissing her lips._

Mulan closed her eyes as the vision of the older and more experienced woman assaulted her brain. The taste of Mei's lips, how soft it was against hers. The taste of Mei's tongue and how it felt as her tongue assaulted her body, landing on her firm, perky breast… that well experienced mouth on her nipples… and all the activities there after that had, for the first time lead to her screaming and her wanting more.

And that which lead to her problem now.

When she found Mei that first time in her chamber, she knew she wanted this to happen, she was attracted to her at once. Unlike with guys… Captain Shang was good looking, as a matter of fact, she knew a lot of women wanted to get his attention, he was well sculptured and well educated yet she never felt that attraction she felt with Mei the first time they meet. And that set her mind to wonder… had she been attracted to girls all along without her knowing it? She did not have much in the way of female friends, aside from her mother and grandmother, her only female acquaintance was Shao Li and she was not an attractive woman.

"Are you still thinking about your tryst with that courtesan Mei?" Mushu, the tiny ancestral guardian dragon interrupted Mulan's musing.

"Leave me alone…."

"I told you, there's nothing to think. You are what foreigners call 'sapphic' and believe me, I got no problem with it… not one bit!"

Mulan sat up on her bed and looked at Mushu who was standing on the table in front of her, "I said leave me alone, Mushu," she rolled her eyes,

"Your parents are worried and your grandmother promised me a lot pain if I don't get you into shape," Mushu whined, "Even Cric-kee is getting feisty!"

Mulan dropped her body on the bed once again, "I have once again shamed my family! How can I harbor such feelings? It is not normal!"

"Well you fighting the war and winning it wasn't normal for a Chinese woman too, but look at it as a form of change… though a radical one!"

"I can't have this change."

"True but there's no other choice, so you better _embrace_ it."

Mulan sat up again, frowning she asked, "Why should I?"

"Because whether you like it or not, the people of China will be looking for Ping and not Mulan."

"But… what will happen to me?"

"That remains to be seen… but whatever happens, Ping and Mulan are one and the same person and sooner or later, change _will_ come to this country and you won't have this problem any longer."

Silence.

"What if that change doesn't happen?"

"It will… maybe not in your lifetime but… at least I know the people that are close to your heart will understand, and they may not like it at first but they will still be there to back you up."

No reply

"Are my parents doing okay?"

"Well aside from worrying about your mood swings, yes they are fine and healthy. Your grandmother is as feisty and as unconventional as ever. Oh I am fine too though I'm being reprimanded by your ancestors a lot for putting you in this situation…."

Mulan smiled for the first time, "Well if my ancestors who were bent on living by the family tradition accepted my heroic deed… how hard would it be for them to accept that I am attracted to another women?"

Mushu smiled, "That's the attitude girl! Now come on and stop killing yourself over Mei… I'm sure there are prettier girls out there and _virgins_ to boot!"

"Mushu!"

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at her door and by her mother's voice, _"Mulan dear, I'm sorry to interrupt your rest but a letter from the palace __has__ arrived, and it __is__ addressed to Ping!"_

Mulan and Mushu eyed each other

-End Chapter 1-


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers could be found at the first chapter.

Unbetaed

**FA ZHOU'S SON**

**Chapter 2**

Mulan was seated at the chair in front and center of the dining table. Opposite her was her father who was sandwiched by her grandmother on the left and her mother on the right. The guardian dragon could be seen at the center of the table, the royal note open and in the hand of Fa Zhou.

"Oh my," Grandma Fa exclaimed after reading the entirety of the letter.

"Oh my indeed," Fa Li agreed with worry etched on her face, "This is…,"

"This is… interesting!" Both her parents looked at the old woman who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Interesting? Mother!" Zhou asked with a frown, "Mulan is being summoned by the emperor for a betrothal banquet!"

The heroine winced; she knew that her father is agitated from the tone he used on his own mother.

"Betrothed to who I wonder," Fa Li asked, "The crowned prince have two sons and two daughters, I know one of the sons is still unmarried… could it mean-"

The old woman bent over her son to swat her in-law's hand, "What are you talking about?"

"Well…,"

"The emperor doesn't know Mulan to be a woman!" she said before returning to her seat. She smiled, "I'm betting my false teeth, the emperor has his granddaughter in his mind."

At the realization, Fa Zhou slump his shoulders and slouched on the chair. "And this means we have to go." He looked at Mulan, "Ping has to come out once again, I'm sorry Mulan…"

"It's not your fault Papa." She said sighing. "It looks like I have no other choice," She stood up, took the letter from her father's hand, bowed and then turned to go to her room.

"My heart breaks for Mulan." Fa Zhou said as he watched his daughter return to her room.

Grandmother Fa smiled, "On the other hand, Mulan will finally be wed. She must be the oldest girl in the village that is still unmarried!"

"MOTHER!"

xxxx

[Next Day]

Mulan sat in front of her mirror. Her hair had grown a lot since the day she joined the military force. Arranging it as it grew long has been difficult, so she have to make another decision.

Closing here eyes, she sighed and took the newly sharpened knife, took a bunch of hair from behind her and in one fluid motion, cut the strands and let them fall off to the ground. When she opened her eyes, her reflection was once again of Ping.

The Hero,

And because of a title she feels she don't deserve, she will be betrothed to one of the emperor's family, and if her grandmother's idea was half the truth, she will be married to the emperor's granddaughter.

Her dilemma once again resurfaced.

Mushu was right, she had no choice but to embrace this _fate_ that had befallen her.

xxxx

[Emperor's palace, Forbidden City]

The banquet started with a procession and the announcement of Ping and his family's arrival. It was followed by the announcement of other dignitaries of the country. It was heralded by the pronouncement of the arrival of the crowned prince, his two sons, in-laws and youngest daughter. The parade ended with the entrance of the Emperor.

The Emperor was walking in between four royal guards in a square position. At the back of the last two guards, and at the center was Captain Li Shang. The people at the banquet area kneeled and bowed down, including the Fa Family who had stood at the vacant place before the stair to the Royal counter.

People's eyes widened, some gasping sound could be heard and some awed at the site of the Emperor stopping in front of Ping and his family, he urge Ping to stand then motioned for his family to do the same. Embarrassed, they followed the Emperor's command and the Fa family was brought to the large table at the center of the hall.

As the Emperor stood, the people focused on him, their ears were open for whatever the emperor has to say. "Countrymen," he began, "You might all be wondering what this banquet was about." He smiled and eyed the people on the left, then on the right, "It has probably come to your attention of my son's daughter," he smiled and looked at the crowned prince who nodded his head towards him, "my darling granddaughter, Xiang Fei Yi," he then eyed his granddaughter who frowned at him. This did not go unnoticed by the public, "I love you too," he said in jest that made the people around laugh, except for two: Fei Yi and Ping.

"As I was saying, you've all noticed that Fei Yi had grown into a fine young woman." He waited for the murmurs to die down. "Well, I'm not going to deny that my darling granddaughter had been blessed with free spirit, but as everyone here knows, she has come to age where she needed to be tied with a fine, young, lad who might be able to _match_ that free spirit in her."

Another collective murmurs that stopped when the crowned prince stood up beside his father, "It is my honor to announce to everyone the betrothal of my daughter, Xiang Fei Yi…" he looked at Ping who was nervously sitting on his chair at the very corner of the royal table, "…to this fine soldier – Fa Ping!"

Clapping hands could be heard around the room. To Ping and Fei Yi, the sound was deafening, scary and constricting. The announcement had sealed their fates.

Princess Fei Yi's chair was respectfully pulled out for her to stand and she did with shaking knees and fake smile.

Ping on the other hand stood after getting an elbow from his father. His well combed hair was wet, his face got droplets of sweat and so was his neck. He too stood with shaky knees so intense he has to hold on to his father's shoulder for support.

The emperor eyed both young ones, "Oh come on, you two looked like I've just gave you the death sentence," the emperor joked once again to the people's merriment.

"As if you didn't…," Fei Yi mumbled which was heard by her father, who eyed the princess reproachfully.

"This banquet of course is in honor of this blessed and wonderful union of two free spirited souls, so please enjoy tonight's celebration!"

This was followed by loud clapping and the people at the hall start the ball rolling.

xxx

[Palace hidden garden]

Ping exhaled as soon as he came into the royal garden. He sighed before taking the luxury of inspecting the grand lot, his eyes widened at the beauty of each flower specimens found in it. If her grandmother's plot was heaven for him, he can't put into words what this one is. If a Hun soldier suddenly appear tonight, aim an arrow to his heart and kill him, he would gladly accept… he had finally found his final resting place.

"_You're so dramatic!"_ the voice of Mushu was just behind his ear.

Ping huffed, "I smelled you miles from here," Ping said trying to look at the small guardian from his back, "Don't tell me you've been drinking while on the job?!"

"_Hey, my job right now is to have fun, besides that stick friend of yours can't even tell you from me! To think I got the most charming personality compared to you!" _ Ping was fast in dodging the small fire that breathed out of Mushu's mouth after a drunken hiccup.

"You're breath stinks. You better leave before anyone _else_ sees you."

"_You're no fun,"_ the dragon grinned and put its face closer to his human, _"Oh I remember, I looked for you because,"_ another hiccupped and dodge, _"That Mei of yours is here!"_

Ping's eyes widened, "Pssst! Keep your voice down!"

"_No need, you and you're family are the only ones who can hear and see me… oh and the highly inebriated fools too!"_

The 'hero' growled, "I don't need more complications…"

"So I am a complication now?" the sweet voice of the woman he had fantasized for the last two weeks and more said.

He hurriedly turned around and come face to face with Mei. "Mei,"

"I am sorry for the intrusion, it seems in the near future, you won't only be the acclaimed soldier and hero, but you'll also be the new royal addition to the palace." The graceful Mei is wearing a light make up, unlike the night they met where she has none. If Ping thought she was so beautiful last time, tonight it seemed she became more beautiful. Ping thought, maybe if the princess is like Mei, then the wedding won't be that hard to bear. Well… if the princess is like Mei then she probably won't be the princess at all.

Mei was wearing a traditional Japanese garb instead of Chinese; her black hair was raised in a bun and she had both her hands tucked inside the large sleeves of the kimono.

"I'm no royalty." He said, his cheeks were pink,

"You do look cute when you're being embarrassed like that." Mei said removing her left hand from the sleeve and touching Ping's right cheek. "But yes, in a few days, once you get married with the princess, you'll be royalty."

Silence

"Are you trailing me?" he asked meekly.

"Oh my, why would I do that?" she asked smiling in jest.

"Well… you do know my secret and as you said, I'd be royalty… ,"

"And what? I'll blackmail you into giving me tons and tons of gold to keep your secret?" Mei laughed at Ping's shy nod. "Well, that may sound great but…" she looked Ping up and down, "… it's going to break my heart to do that to someone like you." She sighed, "And I am not evil. I am a courtesan but I am not a blackmailer. Your secret is safe with me."

Ping let out a sigh of relief. "This may sound weird but, I'm glad then that they got you for me that time. I wonder if the other women in the palace back then would take my secret the way you did." He watched the older woman smile at him. "So why are you here then?"

"I'm with a customer, and despite the early hour, he is already down, so I guess my bed would be cold tonight," she leered at the soldier, "Unless…" she winked at the blushing soldier.

"I still am not proud of what we did…,"

The laughter stopped Ping from saying anything more, "Oh, you should be proud, you should be! I haven't had a good time in a long time until that night. You are a natural, you should be proud." Mei was afraid the young soldier would explode from the intensity of the blush on his face.

"Mei…,"

"I haven't vocally suggested to anyone my intension of bedding them, I may have said it as discreetly as I can, but… you know what I mean."

"Mei!"

Another round of laughter, "Okay Ping I'll stop." She said and from inside the large sleeve she took a brownish paper, "I wrote here my address, if you have any need of me, just come."

Ping shyly took the paper and smiled at the beautiful woman. "Thank you."

"We both got what we wanted, no need to say thank you, but… you now know, you're always welcome,"

xxx

The look on the princess face could kill anyone who pass by and accidentally get caught in it. This was how she was found by her grandfather.

"Do I sense jealousy in the air?" he said in his usual mellow voice.

Fei Yi jumped back and held a fist on her chest, "I'm not jealous and grandpa, don't sneak up on me again, you scared Confucius out of me!"

"I did? From the looks of it, _you_ were scaring everyone who passes by here with that 'killer' look you were giving the young lad." Silence, "I didn't know Confucius reside in you ," he smiled when the young lady huffed at him.

Two black brows met, "Young lad?"

"Ping."

"I am so not watching him!"

"You don't huh?"

"Grandpa!"

"Well my eyes then sees differently from you." He said stepping beside his granddaughter, "So what do you see by _not_ watching Ping?"

The princess sighed, "He is a flirt…," she frowned and looked at her grandfather, "I was not watching!"

"So you say," he said smiling. "From where I see it, Ping is such a kind lad, he is brave, he had saved us all and despite the impact he had in our country, an accolade embarrasses him. Don't you think he is a sweet man?"

"You do seem to like him,"

"There's nothing _not_ to like."

"He looks lame to me. For a woman to actually make him blush says so. I have no idea why you'd think I am a good match for him."

"Do not judge the book by its cover," he said, embraced his unwilling granddaughter, kissed her frowning forehead, and turned around, "Remember that the purest of gold is hidden under pile of rocks, and the rarest of diamonds are wrapped with the dirtiest mud." He said before stepping away from the still slack jawed princess.

xxx

Ping was ready to drag his family home and call it a night, but it will remain as a wish since he bumped unto the crowned prince who was dragging his daughter - his fiancée out towards the garden, and he thought the prince might have the intention of throwing his daughter at him.

"You," the prince said to Ping, "This is for both of you, it will be better for people to see the two of you together." He then eyed his daughter, "I'm not accepting no this time Fei. You will be seen with your fiancée having a goodtime tonight."

Fei frowned, "So now you also expects me to jump in bed with him?!"

At the outburst, Ping's face once again blushed.

The crowned prince looked at Ping, "If you still want your head intact soldier Ping, you are not going to touch even a single hair of my daughter until after your wedding." He narrowed his eyes on him, "Do you understand me boy?"

From the color red, Ping's face changed to white, and it has not been ten seconds pass his embarrassment. "Ye-yes my Lord!" he squeak more than speak which caused the young princess to laugh hard.

"Okay, I am enjoying myself now!" Fei Yi said laughing.

It was at this state that the crowned prince left the two.

Silence

"You sound like a woman," The princess said breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"What? I'm not! I'm a man, I promise!" Ping said agitatedly.

The young woman laughed again, "Okay I know that, I was just saying you sound like a girl… the voice,"

"Oh," Blood crept up Ping's face once again.

Fei Yi smiled, "You're the only guy I know who is so easy to fluster." She sighed, "Not that I know you that long…"

Ping just looked at the Princess as she speaks, and then it came to his attention how the princess really looks like. She is beautiful yes, but so unlike Mei. The courtesan's lips were full and red, the princess' were small, thin and pink. Mei's eyes were round and dark brown, the princess' were almond shape and the color is lighter. The older woman's body structure was that of a woman exuding with appeal and sexuality; the princess in Ping's eyes and mind _is _beautiful, but what she lacks in sexuality, she makes up with her energy and spirit. The way they dress too was different in every way. The princess being the royalty dons a traditional Chinese garb with just the right amount of accessories all in silver or platinum, while the courtesan wears a Japanese kimono, and aside from the golden earrings she was wearing, no other accessories could be seen. Mei was as tall as Ping, while the princess was petite… more like her grandmother's height minus the osteoporosis.

If the princess isn't a princess, this wedding would have been _way_ better, but then again, if it weren't a royal engagement, Ping is not even sure if he will be able to get married.

Blushing once again he said, "A lot of my friends said the same thing."

"That you sound like a girl or that you are flustered too easily for a guy?" Fei asked grinning.

Ping sighed, "Both,"

The hero thought the princess' laughter was kind of soothing, it was lively, open and unmasked. Mei's laughter was sweet, but it was apparent her laughs were calculated, educated and mostly masked.

"_You're getting crazy,"_ Mushu whispered on Ping's ear.

"I guess I am," he loudly replied.

"You are what?"

"_Careful – careful! The princess might indeed think you're crazy and she might tell her granddaddy, and just think where will you be dumped."_

He growled inwardly, "Don't mind me, insane, evil conscience is pestering me at the moment." He said frowning. He watched the princess in bewilderment when she laughed instead of get angry.

"Should I ask my father to have you tested by a doctor or a monk or a Taoist priest or…,"

"You can just ask your father to slash my top head so he can see through my crazy brain." Ping sighed, for the first time, she felt at ease inside the palace. "It was a crazy idea to go against that humongous guy, really…," he smiled, "If I knew that my life would be complicated after the war, I would have just followed Captain Shang's order, and rest until my wound heals."

Fei Yi smiled and looked at the soldier, "So you think I am a complication?"

Ping frowned, "Why does women always think they are the complication when someone says the word complicated?"

The princess laughter cause the soldier to smile. "Okay, I'll give you a lot of credit Soldier Ping, I didn't think I will enjoy conversing with you,"

Ping's one eyebrow rose, "So you think…"

"…you're lame yeah," she smiled mischievously.

"Lame… as in… me?" he watched the princess nod her head. Her face doesn't bear any remorse from what she said. "You are a hellion aren't you?"

"Excuse me, didn't you hear my grandfather said about me being free spirited? So I am so not a hellion!" the princess huffed.

"And you're a sour loser."

The princess' frown deepened and she stepped back, away from Ping. "And I thought I'd enjoy a nice conversation with you!"

"Hey, don't make it look like I started it!"

She huffed once again, "What kind of a man are you if you start calling woman names just because she said the truth?!"

"I am not LAME!"

xxx

The Emperor, the crowned prince and Fa Zhou were all standing by the large veranda outside where the banquet was being held. All men were watching the interaction of the newly engaged couple while drinking the banquet's finest wine.

"I think they are having a very nice conversation, they do seem to get along well." Mien started,

"So far," The emperor nodded, "But it is still too early to say if they really do get along."

"If I may interrupt?" Zhou said humbly,

"Of course, of course, you are family, feel free to join the conversation." The emperor said smiling,

"Thank you your majesty," he eyed the emperor and then the prince as the two nodded their heads, "What I was about to say was that they probably need more time to know each other before the wedding is set." He said nervously.

The emperor smiled while the prince waved a hand in the air.

"They could learn more about each other when they start living together. So the early the ceremony, the better," Mien replied in a manner that is not to be contested.

"Of course… your majesty." Zhou nodded his head.

"Mien has a point, there's no use in forestalling a definite event for something like knowing each other more. Remember, the true color of the soul brightens when the right tint is mixed with it."

At this, the three men noticed the conversation went downhill.

"You're son has no history of violence has he?" Mien asked with a bit of worry in his voice.

Zhou smiled this time with confidence, "No need for you to worry your majesty…"

"I think it should be Zhou here who should be worried about Ping's state of health once they are married," The emperor said smiling, "Because from the look of that conversation, I would say Ping is ready to cry."

"_If you only knew…"_ Fa Zhou thought, "Ping is tough, I can't be any prouder with his accomplishment."

"Indeed." The emperor agreed.

xxx

Grandmother Fa was smiling when she meet her granddaughter by the house door. "I got worried when your father came home without you." She said while helping Mulan take off her clothes.

"Why would you be worried?"

"Well, I thought the princess had abducted you and confined you to her room to be her body slave."

"Grandma!"

"What? The way she looks at you while you were flirting with that woman was a sure sign she has her eyes on you."

Mulan sighed, "Grandma, me and the princess actually had an argument and left the palace in bad note. So I think you were just imagining that," she said before pulling the robe off her body, revealing her banded chest."

"Well…," she helped her granddaughter unwrapped her torso, "… If she looks at this," her grandmother pointed her perky breasts with her lips, "… I'll bet my carcass she'll whoop in joy!"

"Grandma! The princess cannot see this, or my lack of the right appendage!" Mulan said in agitation, while holding on to both her breasts and eyeing her covered sex.

"Oh my, then you will have a big problem!"

"Tell me!" she rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm sure it has already been instilled in her mind that she needs to give the crowned prince a grandchild and that the first night after the wedding should be consummated?"

"I know… ARGH!"

The old woman grinned as she continue helping Mulan dress, "If it will help, I know a gypsy woman who might be able to mix something to make the problem go away."

Mulan looked at her grandmother, "If whatever it is that gypsy will concoct will kill me, I'm all for it!"

"Don't be silly!" the old woman patted Mulan's arm lightly, "It may transform you into a horse or a male, we have no idea but it's worth a try."

Mulan smiled, "I think I'll pass."

"_I do know someone who can help!" _Mushu's drunken voice resonated in the house's hall.

"Am I really getting senile for hearing your guardian drunk?"

The younger woman rolled her eyes once again, "You're not getting more senile, Mushu just decided his job tonight was to enjoy pretending me and drinking to his heart's content."

"_Have my suggestion been ignored?"_

"I'm ignoring it."

"_Come on, you know _SHE_ can help you a lot."_

"And who is this SHE?"

Mulan and Mushu eyed each other.

-End Chapter 2-

Mulan will get a lesson on how to become male in bed. (This is the definite scene that I had planned for next time, whatever scene accompanies this depends on my plot bunnies running wildly around my head)


End file.
